Apricot & Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This might sound like a very strange combination, but trust me, it works! I don’t know what it is about savory & sweet foods, I have a serious addiction. One of my favorite snacks is to toast up a piece of whole wheat toast, smear some PB on it, then top it with a fried egg white and drizzle light maple syrup on top. Am I the only one that eats like this? Anyways, I was inspired to create this recipe after watching Bobby Flay’s Boy Meets Grill and Giada’s Everyday Italian on the Food Network. Giada made this bruschetta with apricot jam, chicken breasts, and prosciutto. Bobby Flay made a stuffed chicken breast with basil and fontina cheese. Mix the two together and you get Andee’s Apricot & Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast. Seriously, this is really good especially with the lightly pan fried chicken in Panko breadcrumbs and crispy prosciutto wrapped on the outside.

Apricot & Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Serves 2

2 pieces of chicken breasts, skin removed

1/4 cup shredded fontina cheese

4 basil leaves, chopped

1.5 tablespoons apricot marmalade

2 pieces of prosciutto

1/2 cup egg whites

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Use a baking sheet with sides and lightly coat it with cooking spray.

2. Mix cheese, apricot jam and torn basil leaves in a small bowl.

3. Cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of a chicken breast half, nearly through to the opposite side. Open up the breast and place half of the filling in the center. Close the breast over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Repeat with the remaining chicken breasts and filling.

4. Lightly beat egg white with a fork in a medium bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow glass dish. Hold each chicken breast half together and dip in egg white, then dredge in breadcrumbs.

5. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and lightly brown chicken on both sides for about 3 minutes each side. Transfer chicken to baking sheet and wrap a piece of prosciutto around each chicken breast and bake in the oven for another 8 minutes until chicken is cooked evenly through.